Tag Archive for Anderson Hernandez

I am certain that on some level, my tardiness in reporting that Anderson Hernandez is once again a member of the Mets is a realization that acknowleding it publically will prevent me from walking around pretending it never happened, which is what I really want to do.

Once upon a time, I held a reasonable hope that the Mets might once and for all cure themselves of their penchant for carrying worthless middle infield reserves who play too often, only to see Wilson Valdez, Angel Berroa, Argenis Reyes and now Hernandez come back from the dead, almost all of them polluting the No. 4 and/or 11 jerseys.

Hernandez was actually reacquired by trade late last week from the Washington Nationals, for whom he flamed out this season already — and to whom I was only too happy to see him go a year ago (and that was for Luis Ayala). I know, with the way things have gone this year this is about what we’re going to get but it doesn’t remind me any less of Wilson Delgado and Ricky Gutierrez stinking up the joint out there in 2004.

Hernandez’ addition to the roster resulted in a DFA for Berroa and for Anderson’s third different number with the Mets — he’d worn 1 and 4 in previous visits. The Mets also replaced the injured Jon Neise on the roster by recalling Elmer Dessens from AAA. Dessens was back in No. 64.

Sorry for the lack of updates last week: I had a story about the bullpen woes and Omar’s future on the unemployment line loaded and ready to blast a week ago, but then they started accomplishing good things, and I decided maybe it was best to give it the “no-hitter treatment” while it lasted.

But the forthcoming addition of Luis Ayala to the Met scrolls, and Billy Wagner‘s latest setback, are noteworthy enough to briefly interrupt my winning streak silence.

Though Ayala has been worked pretty hard — he’s in Heilman/Feliciano territory as far as appearances are concerned — I like this deal if only because anything could help and he came so cheap.

One only needs to look at the uni numbers to see Anderson Hernandez had no future here. As a late-season callup in 2005 and opening day starter at second-base in 2006, Anderson wore No. 1, but he was stripped of that by the time the Mets acquired Luis Castillo and reappeared in No. 4. That number was subsequently issued to Robinson Cancel, and then to Argenis Reyes: Losing two numbers, to three guys, in less than a year, is a condition rarely recovered from. As for Ayala, he’s No. 56 with Nationals: That uni currently belongs to Mets’ bullpen pitcher Juan Lopez.

With the New Orleans Zephyrs swept out of the AAA playoffs over the weekend, representatives of the losers arrived in time to see — and participate — in the worst display of Met baseball since the Art Howe Era.

Soft-tossing righty Brian Lawrence 54stepped in and registered what we can only hope would be the last outing of his Mets career, coughing up a 4-run lead to Washington. Joe Smith 35is back, but the velocity he sidearmed with earlier this year apparently didn’t come along with him.Ramon Castro 11 didn’t have the health to stick through short-season games with Brooklyn but is back here anyway. Weak-hitting utilityman David Newhan? Yes, he’s back too, still torturing Keith Hernandez in No. 17.

Perhaps the only interesting returnee from a unicentric standpoint is infielder Anderson Hernandez,who we last saw wearing No. 1 in July. Hernandez was recalled only to discover the Mets had issued No. 1 to Luis Castillo during Hernandez’ stay in New Orleans. No. 4 was hanging in his locker this time around. When he gets into a game, he’ll become the Mets’ 14th 15th player to wear No. 4, and the first since Chris Woodwarda year agoBen Johnson earlier this year. (Props to Gene, below for the correction).

Only time will tell whether this latest stumble is just another stumble or the beginnings of an historic collapse, but you can bet we’ll be here hating ourselves for watching every minute of it!

Well the all-odd infield as described below went out together for a second straight night Saturday but it’ll be their last for awhile. Damian Easley stepped awkwardly while running and gruesomely rolled his left ankle in an event likely to sideline him for the rest of the regular season. Ever roll an ankle like that? It makes a noise.

Anderson Hernandez was recalled from AAA Sunday to take his place on the roster, arriving to find out the No. 1 jersey he wore in previous visits to New York had been assigned to Luis Castillo in his absence. The Mets roster has Hernandez dressed in No. 4 (bad news for Ben Johnson should he deign to return).

A more pressing concern could be finding an acceptable right-handed pinch-hitter, preferably one who can play first base (among other positions), so as not to further compromise our oftentimes meager attack. Easley was one of the few guys on the team who’d done almost no harm and/or disappointing this season too. But I thought it was weird when Omar didn’t come back after the trade deadline with a right-handed bench hitter, so I’m pretty sure this merits a trade too.

Meantime on Sunday Sandy Alomar Jr. 19 was back for Ramon Castro 11,whose bad back necessitated a DL stay. All as we swept a team for the first time since June and — can you believe this? — reached a new highwater mark at 17 over .500.

Luis Castillo tonight became the 25th player to wear No. 1 for the Mets. Hernandez, who had been assigned No.1 for his on-again, off-again visits to the active roster since 2005, will, find something else to wear next time the Mets need a second baseman (what with Castillo, Ruben Gotay, Marlon Anderson and Damian Easley around doesn’t look likely but never say never. Not this year. The Mets finally got around to disabling Carlos Beltran 15, so Castillo slides into his roster spot.

The Mets won what feels like their biggest game of the year Sunday, overcoming a few deficits en route to a 5-4, 10-inning victory sparked by an RBI single from Chip Ambres 36 about whom we’ll probably always say, “Remember that game in Los Angeles…?”

The 9th-inning rally to tie the game featured a trip around the bases for pinch-runner Anderson Hernandez, called back to the big-league roster for the first time this year and still wearing the No. 1jersey he sported a year ago. Hernandez is back in action because Jose Valentin 22broke his leg on a badly aimed foul ball Friday. That’s not the way we wanted to see the second-base problem solved.

Headed home again this week, the Mets are expected to reacquireMoises Alou 18from a lengthy stay on the disabled list, and Damion Easley 3from the bereavement list, though it’s not clear at this point who goes where to accommodate them.

Depending on what you read the Mets may have some disabled list moves to make by gametime today. The Daily News seems to be pessimistic regarding the health ofJose Valentin’sknee and suggests the Mets would recall New Orleans middle infielder who’s outperforming Ruben Gotay — Anderson Hernandez, though not by much.

Gotay wore No. 6 in spring training and his recall would make him the 33rd No. 6 in team history, the most ever of any number. That would also qualify the trade that brought Gotay into the organization as a Uni Swap, seeing as he was acquired for another No. 6, Jeff Keppinger.

We hope above all that Valentin’s OK.

Orlando Hernandez 26 is battling shoulder soreness. Should he be unable to go tonight, word is the Mets will call New Orleans for Chan Ho Park, who’s rested. Should Park arrive, he’d be the fourth No. 61in team history but the first to be happy about it. His three predecessors in the No. 61 jersey — Jesse Orosco in 1979; Mario Ramirez in 1980 and Jeff Duncan in 2003 — all eventually turned to more dignified numbers.

The Mets following a rare spring training victory today said Aaron Sele and ‘Bazooka’ Joe Smithwould be added to the big-league roster, a development that threw the Metly future of Chan Ho Park 61 into question. As things shake out it’s come down to Park, Ambiorix Burgos 40and optionless/hapless acquiree Jon Adkins 39 for the seventh and final bullpen slot; The Mets will go with four starters the first few times around before recalling Mike Pelfrey34 to become the 5th starter. That may prove to reward precocious prospect Lastings Milledge 44 for a strong showing this spring seeing as outfielder Ben Johnson 4 was cut today (along with lesser hopefuls Mike Carp 64, Lino Urdaneta 68, Anderson Hernandez 1, Ruben Gotay 6, Mike DiFelice 30 and Sandy Alomar Jr. 90).

Spring leaders of the Ring-Bell for Adkins-Johnson trade are the Padres, who’ve gotten a 0.90 ERA out of Heath Bell thus far.

Word from the Daily News is the Mets will commemorate Smith’s promotion by slashing his uniform number in half, from 70 to 35. Ironically, that’s the same number they tried to assign to last year’s righthanded submariner, Chad Bradford, before Bradford fled for the quirkier 53.Troublingly, that’s also the number rosters list Sele as wearing, unless Sele switched while I wasn’t looking (entirely possible). Any help? Thanks.

The Mets yesterday made the Anderson Hernandez promotion official, temporarily sending down lefty Dave Williams 32 to make room for him. Williams is expected to return in time for his next start. The recall comes in time to make Hernandez, who was dressed in No. 1, eligible for the postseason roster, along with the 12 other current position players and disablees Cliff Floyd 30 and Ramon Castro 11.

Having not called up recent signee Kelly Stinnett suggests the team is confident in Castro’s return, though reports this morning say Stinnett’s likely to be recalled now that rosters are exandable and Norfolk’s season is winding to a close.